HIV and COVID-19 Basics

People with HIV may have concerns and questions about COVID-19. CDC will continue to provide updated information as it becomes available.

Are people with HIV at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 than other people?

People with HIV may have higher rates of certain underlying health conditions. Older age and underlying health conditions can make people more likely to get very sick with COVID-19. This is especially true for people with advanced HIV (including an AIDS diagnosis) or people with HIV who are not on HIV treatment.

People who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, and those who live with or visit them, should take precautions (including staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines) to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

Do COVID-19 treatments interact with medicine to treat or prevent HIV?

Some COVID-19 treatments can interact with antiretroviral therapy (ART) used to treat HIV. If you have HIV, let your health care provider know before starting COVID-19 treatment.

For people without HIV taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV, there is no evidence that currently available medicine used to treat or prevent COVID-19 will interact with PrEP.

Are COVID-19 vaccines safe for people with HIV?

Yes. COVID-19 vaccines are safe for people with HIV. Learn more about what CDC and other federal agencies are doing to make sure COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.

CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. People with advanced HIV (including an AIDS diagnosis) or who have HIV and are not on HIV treatment should follow CDC’s vaccination recommendations for people who are immunocompromised.

Find a COVID-19 vaccine: Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you.

Will COVID-19 vaccines interfere with medicine to prevent or treat HIV?

There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines interfere with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV or with antiretroviral therapy (ART) to treat HIV. Learn more about the different COVID-19 vaccines.